Lin Wei and Yuan Nandou stumbled before Long Xiao. After observing him closely, Lin Wei asked, "Long Xiao, are you alright?"
Long Xiao slowly opened his eyes and asked, "Grandpa, am I still alive?"
Seeing that Long Xiao was unharmed, Lin Wei happily replied, "Alive, of course you're alive."
Long Xiao let out a sigh of relief and said, "It's good that I'm not dead. What about that master from Hong Kong City? I'd like to ask him, where is the spiritual energy?"
The three walked up to Li Chengru. Li Chengru opened his eyes and saw the spirited Long Xiao, speechless.
"Oh my, Master Li, why has your hair turned white so quickly? Are you worried about not being able to explain yourself to me?"
Li Chengru looked at Long Xiao, his heart filled with malice.
He had long forgotten his earlier intention to flood Long Xiao's body with spiritual energy and burst him.
All he remembered now was his endless hatred for Long Xiao. Although he didn't understand what 'vital energy' was, he knew that Long Xiao had at least drained thirty years of his lifespan and exhausted all his spiritual energy.
"A young hero, I am impressed," Li Chengru forced himself to stand up and said.
Long Xiao pressed on, "Don't say that, Master Li. Didn't you want to show me what spiritual energy entering the body is like? Why don't I see any spiritual energy?"
Spiritual energy is invisible and intangible. Long Xiao's claim of not seeing it was technically correct.
"Spiritual energy is a form of vital energy in nature, invisible and intangible, so you naturally can't see it. The formation I set up earlier drew a large amount of spiritual energy from the surroundings into your body. You should have felt that."
Long Xiao shook his head and said, "Impossible. If I, an ordinary person, absorbed a large amount of spiritual energy, I would have burst long ago."
Everyone present had profound attainments in metaphysics. They all knew that absorbing a large amount of spiritual energy would cause a person to explode.
Long Xiao was currently full of vigor, clearly indicating that the formation had not channeled a large amount of spiritual energy into his body.
Li Chengru was so angry he felt like spitting blood. Not only had he lost thirty years of his lifespan and all his spiritual energy, but now Long Xiao was demanding that he admit the formation was ineffective.
Huo Tianxing and Li Chengru's assistant stepped forward to support Li Chengru. Huo Tianxing clasped his hands to everyone and said, "Master Li has expended too much spiritual power setting up the formation and needs to rest. We shall take our leave."
Huo Tianxing looked at Long Xiao with fear in his eyes. He had begun to suspect some things and felt that Long Xiao was unfathomable. If they stayed any longer, neither of them might leave.
Long Xiao nodded slightly and said, "If you wish to leave, then go. Master Huo, remember that arrogance comes at a price."
Long Xiao's triumphant demeanor irked everyone, but none dared to speak.
The fact that Long Xiao could emerge from the spirit-gathering formation spoke volumes.
Li Chengru looked at Long Xiao with a complex expression and said, "Master Long, we shall meet again."
Long Xiao waved his hand and said, "Go, have a good journey. Take care of your health and eat more things that replenish life energy."
Long Xiao's words once again struck a painful chord in Li Chengru's heart.
Just now, he had thought that Long Xiao had unintentionally absorbed his spiritual energy and drained his lifespan.
Now, Long Xiao's words clearly indicated that the absorption of his spiritual energy and lifespan was an active action by Long Xiao.
Unintentional absorption was a matter of chance and did not represent a person's strength, only that Long Xiao was lucky and gained a great advantage.
If it was active absorption, it meant that Long Xiao's strength far surpassed Li Chengru's, and Long Xiao's challenging him to set up the formation earlier was a trap.
Li Chengru felt a chill run through his body, trembling involuntarily. This was too infuriating! Now that he had no spiritual energy and little lifespan left, he feared he would never be able to exact revenge.
"Master Li, are you alright?" Huo Tianxing rushed forward to ask, seeing Li Chengru trembling all over.
Li Chengru shook his head slightly and said, "I'm fine, let's leave quickly."
The two hurriedly left Xiu Yu Manor. Along the way, they saw withered flowers and fallen leaves from thousands of trees, a scene of late autumn turning into winter.
Even the large schools of koi in the pond were struggling on the surface, belly-up, seemingly close to death.
After Li Chengru and Huo Tianxing had gone far, everyone turned to look at Long Xiao.
Long Xiao clasped his hands in front of him, a look of sincerity on his face, and said, "I apologize to everyone. I lost control earlier and depleted your lifespans. I will find a way to replenish them for you."
Everyone felt a void within their bodies. Some had already guessed it was a depletion of lifespan, but no one believed Long Xiao when he said he would replenish it, except for Lin Wei.
Lin Wei surveyed the crowd and, seeing their disbelief, said, "Don't worry everyone, my grandson-in-law will definitely compensate you all."
Everyone returned to the pavilion. Looking out from the pavilion at the desolate Xiu Yu Manor, they saw numerous shrubs reduced to dead branches, vast amounts of flowers and trees withered, and even the lush West Ping Mountain in the distance appeared desolate and decadent.
When discussing metaphysics again, everyone began to seek Long Xiao's opinion on any topic.
In everyone's eyes, Long Xiao was no longer the greenhorn who knew nothing. Everyone began to respectfully address him as Master Long.
After a day of studying metaphysics at Xiu Yu Manor, everyone bid their farewells one by one after dinner.
As Long Xiao and Lin Wei were about to leave, Yuan Nandou saw them off at the manor gate.
Long Xiao stood by the car, feeling a bit embarrassed, and said, "Master Yuan, I'm truly sorry for damaging your manor. I'll hire a construction team tomorrow to replace all the flowers, plants, and trees here."
Yuan Nandou glared at Long Xiao and said, "Long Xiao, your grandfather and I have been close friends for many years. Why are you treating me like an outsider?"
Seeing that Yuan Nandou considered him family, Long Xiao chuckled and said, "Alright, then I won't say more. Master Yuan, if you need anything in the future, just call me, and I'll be there anytime."
Yuan Nandou laughed heartily and said, "Good, that's the spirit! Now you're acting like one of us."
As Long Xiao's car left Xiu Yu Manor, Yuan Nandou watched the receding taillights and muttered to himself, "Lin Wei is too clever. I wonder where he found such a grandson-in-law. Truly enviable."
On the road, Lin Wei and Long Xiao continued to discuss metaphysics, feeling still unsatisfied. Following Long Xiao, they went directly to Lin Shijie's home.
Upon seeing Lin Wei's arrival, Lin Shijie rushed to greet him. Nangong Yue personally brewed tea and served it.
It was not appropriate to discuss metaphysics further at the Lin family's home. Lin Wei and Long Xiao only chatted about the recent situation in Donghai.
The Lin family members all witnessed Lin Wei's excited demeanor. They were all puzzled, wondering what kind of intoxicating words Long Xiao had fed the old man.
After Lin Xuan and Long Xiao saw Lin Wei home, they returned to the Lin residence. Lin Xuan asked, "Long Xiao, why were you with Grandpa today? Where did you go?"
Long Xiao briefly explained about the metaphysics gathering but omitted the conflict with Li Chengru, fearing that Lin Xuan would worry.
Speaking of metaphysics, Lin Xuan said, "Long Xiao, since you understand feng shui, come with me tomorrow to the headquarters building that's under renovation. Our company headquarters needs to be properly arranged."